Young Girl Dies from Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound; District Attorney’s Office to be Consulted on Charges

June 24, 2013

The 5-year-old girl critically injured today from a self-inflicted gunshot wound has now been pronounced dead. She was taken off of life support a short while ago and succumbed to her injury. The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification of family members.

Shortly before 11:00 A.M., officers responded to a child shot at a residence in the 2200 block of North Galvez Street. Officers located the child in a bedroom suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. The child was transported to the hospital where she later died.

A preliminary investigation indicates the child was home alone and had somehow come into contact with a .38 revolver and accidentally shot herself in the head.

According to the child’s mother, 28-year-old Laderika Smith, she locked her daughter inside the residence for a short period of time while she went to the store. Upon her return, she located the child lying on the bedroom floor with a gunshot wound to the head. Smith did confess to having a gun inside the home.

Due to the mother’s negligence, Laderika Smith was booked with R.S. 14:93; Relative to Cruelty to a Juvenile.

Pending an autopsy scheduled for this morning, the case will be reviewed by the District Attorney's Office on further charges.

The gun was recovered from the scene.

Homicide Detective Robert Barrere is in charge of the investigation and can be reached at 658-5300.

The New Orleans Police Department, under the leadership of Superintendent Ronal W. Serpas, is engaged in a complete transformation in its approach to ensuring thatNew Orleansis a safer place to live, work and visit. The police force is committed to transparency, accountability, collaboration and integrity.